Events and Exhibitions
and associated training has seen only selected participation in the industry . Until now , CO₂ systems have also been considered suitable for cooler regions due to the high pressures required in system operation .
Ammonia as another popular choice has in fact been around for more than a hundred years and has an established and stable market , particularly in the industrial space . Due to the fast adaptation of produce development , ammonia could soon be found in commercial air conditioning applications as well .
On the domestic market , hydrocarbon R600a ( isobutane ) has already been used for several years and in the retail sector R290 ( propane ) has seen large adoption too – specifically in display fridges . R290 is already being used in other countries for unitary air conditioning products and it is just a matter of time that these will find their way to the local market . R290 further has the scope to be used in commercial and industrial air conditioning applications as well as the greater refrigeration market .
As with all refrigerants , natural refrigerants are also subject to concerns around certain safety aspects . With the correct design and mitigation of potential risks these concerns are easy to resolve or avoid . The limit of a system charge being smaller has also reduced risk significantly .
This then opens the conversation around training which has seen considerable review and development recently . The new national safe handling of refrigerants framework is but one example . Local training centres are equipped with many resources already to be able to offer required training in natural refrigerants and updating of certain elements of that training is ongoing .
Resistance to change forces companies and individuals to become ignorant ( to the inevitable in this case ) and in so doing the usual response is to be apprehensive or unwilling to change their mindset – while natural refrigerants , when handled correctly , don ’ t pose any more danger than older refrigerant choices .
One of the South African Institute for Refrigeration and Air Conditioning ’ s ( SAIRAC ) premier events , the FRIGAIR expo is the largest dedicated HERVAC trade exhibition in Africa . Dates are set for 01 – 03 June 2022 and will be held at the Gallagher Convention Centre in Midrand . This event is brought together by SAIRAC partners Interact Media Defined and Specialised Exhibitions – a division of the Montgomery Group .
All of these aspects in natural refrigerants will be covered at FRIGAIR 2022 through the SAIRAC workshops and SAIRAC arranged ASHRAE seminars . RACA
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RACA Journal I February 2022 www . hvacronline . co . za